Apparatus for absorbing decomposition products



Nov. 6, 1945. F. M. CLARK APPARATUS FOR ABSORBING DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTSFiled June 12, 1943 Q a F I I I III Inventor Frank MCIark y HisAttorney.

former; i 2 is a Patented Nov. 8, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAPPARATUS FOR ABSORBING DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS Frank M. Clark,

eral Electric York Pittsfield, Mass, assignor to Gen- Company, acorporation 01' New Application June 12, 1943, Serial No. 490,622

4 Claims.

apparatus against injury by corrosive decomposition products.

Electric transformers which are provided with a 1i uid-cooling medium inthe evolution of hydrogen chloride.

A small amount of hydrogen chloride or other clude nitriles, terpenes,camphors and ethereal oils.

In some cases, however, if

fixative. dielectric properties 01' the most efhcient fixatives commonlyare inferior to the dielectric properties of the halogenated material.The fixative means for introducing a fixative upon accumulation ofpredetermined amount'of gaseous pressure in the sealed housing enclosingthe transperspective view of a portion blended with about 1 of themechanism for rupturing a container filled with fixative;

as an energy- 1 is provided as bushings. The drawing shows a highpotential bushing 8 for 9 and a low potential bushing ill for theconductor H, others being omitted for the -chlor diphenyl.

Ordinarily, chlorine is the halogen most commonly present in suchcompounds and, for this reason, such products will be hereinafter termedchlorinated products.

The liquid chlorinated sary in all cases.

At or near the bottom of the tank 4 is located a receptacle H which maybe made of glass,

persistent arcing should cause the amount of hydrogen to exceed thecombining capability of agent dissolved in the chlorinated dielectricbody which, as above stated, normally should not exceed 10%, then theaccumulation of gaseous pressure in the tank 4 will cause the trippingof the device l5 which will cause the plunger I6 to strike and break thereceptacle I. The contents of this receptacle then will escape andrapidly diffuse in the body i2 of contaminated dielectric liquid wherethe fixative will render innocuous the free hydrogen chloride, thuspreventing dangerous rise of pressure which might rupture the enclosingtank and the discharge of obnoxious gas into the atmosphere.

Should, however, this added amount of fixative discharged from thereceptacle I4 be insufficient to halt the accumulation of decompositionproducts, then a second plunger device H which is set to operate at ahigher pressure than the device l5 will be tripped, causing breakage ofa glass diaphragm l8 held in the cover I. The release of pressure by thebreakage of this diaphragm will insure that in the event of abnormal andexcessive gas evolution no dangerous explosion of the transformer tankwill occur.

The plunger device I5 is mounted on a support l9 which is attached bybolts or otherwise to the wall of the tank 4. The plunger shaft l6, whenset in a retracted position, compresses a spring 20 against a stop 20'and is held, as will be described, in this position until released bythe motion of a tripping stem 2| connected to a Sylphon bellows 22. Whenreleased, the spring 20 drives the plunger 16, against the receptacle l4and ruptures it, releasing the contents.

The tripping mechanism is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The plunger I6 isprovided with a cut- ,out section 23. A transverse rotatable shaft 24,also having a cut-out section 25, may be engaged with the section 23 ofthe plunger l6 when the spring 20'is compressed. ,A second shaft 26 ismounted in a bearing 28' and is rotatable through a small arc by aconnecting lever 21. The lever 21 is biased by a spring 28 (Fig. 3)against rotation. The shaft 26 engages with a latch 30 (Figs. 2 and 4)which is connected to the shaft 2-4. Rotation of the shaft 26 through asmall angle will cause its cut-away end 29 to free the latch 30, thenthis may move upwardly as shown in Fig. 4, thereby unlatching the parts23 and 25, thus permitting the plunger i6 to move down- -wardly.

When pressure accumulates in the tank due to the evolution of gas, theSylphon bellows 22 is compressed by the gaseous pressure, causing thestem 2| to'move' downwardly. The cone-shaped top 32 on the end of thestem 2| engages with the lever 21 causing it to rotate the shaft 26.Initially the spring 20 is latch 30 against the end 29 of the shaft 26.As the stem 2| moves downwardly and the shaft 28 is rotated, the latch30 is released (Fig. 4) allowing the spring 20 to drive the plunger l6to its extended position. The Sylphon bellows may be set by the lock nut33 to release the latching mechanism at a predetermined pressure, forexample, a few pounds.

compressed, urging the trigger-controlled means The mechanism li wherebythe window i8 is shattered operates in a similar manner. It may be setto release at a higher pressure, say 8 to 10 pounds.

While my invention has been described by reference to a particularembodiment thereof. it l be understood that numerous be made within thescope thereof, and are intended to be covered by the appended claims ascoming within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An electric transformer comprising a sealed tank, inductively relatedwindings therein, a quantity of liquid halogenated hydrocarbonenveloping said windings, a submerged sealed receptacle in said tankcontaining a liquid fixative which is capable of combining with gaseoushalogen-containing decomposition products, and

for breaking said receptacle to release the contents of said receptacleresponsive to an abnormal pressure in said tank by the disengagement ofgaseous decomposition products in said sealed tank.

2. An electric apparatus comprisinga sealed tank, electric windingstherein, a body of liquid chlorinated hydrocarbon in which said windingsare submerged, said hydrocarbon having a preservative associatedtherewith, a sealed receptacle in said tank containing a fixative forgaseous decomposition products resulting from contact of an electric arcwith said hydrocarbon, a spring-operated plunger capable of being setunder tension in position to shatter said receptacle when released, andmeans responsive to predetermined rise of gaseous pressure in said tankfor releasing said plunger.

3. An electric'apparatus comprising a sealed tank, electric windingstherein, a, body of liquid chlorinated hydrocarbon in which saidwindings are submerged, a frangible sealed receptacle in said tankcontaining a fixative for gaseous decomposition products which may beformed by contact of an electric arc with said hydrocarbon, aspring-operated plunger capable of being set under tension in positionto shatter said receptacle when released and means responsive topredetermined rise of gaseous pressure in said tank for releasing saidplunger.

4. An electric device comprising a sealed tank, an energy-translatingdevice therein, a quantity of liquid halogenated hydrocarbon alsocontained a in said tank in contact with said device, a frangiblereceptacle containing a fixative product which is capable of combiningwith decomposition products ofsaid halogenated hydrocarbo a mechanicallyoperated plunger whereby said receptacle may be broken and meansresponsive to predetermined gas accumulation 'of abnormal pressure insaid tank for operating said plunger to rupture said container andrelease said fixative into contact with said material.

FRANK M. CLARK.

modifications may

